The Four Old Lodges—Preston's Account of 18 18 Superoeasion of Four Old Lodges 36 47
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; THE POUR OLD LODGES, fbuntord of JHolrirn Jfrremasonrg, AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. A RECORD OF THE PROGRESS OF THE CRAFT IN ENGLAND AND OF THE CAREER OF EVERY REGULAR LODGE DOWN TO THE UNION OF 1813. With an Authentic Compilation of Descriptive Lists for Historic Reference. By ROBERT FREKE GOULD, IaATS SlflT RlGIMKNT, BARRISTER- AT- LAW. Past Ages have like Rivers conveied downe to us, (upon the floats) the more light and sophistocall pieces of Learning but what were Profound and Misterious, the weight and solidify thereof svnlce to the Bottome; whence every one who attempts to dive, cannot easily fetch them up. Brother Elias Ashmoli (a.d. 1652). LONDON: SPENCER'S MASONIC DEPOT, Opposite Frumasons' Hall. 1879. 22 3. A - 11 TO JOHN HAVEES, Esq. Past Geand Wabden, In admiration of unrivalled Services rendered to English Masonry, within Living Memory; This Kecord of MASONIC PROGRESS Is Kespectfully and Fraternally Dedicated, BT THE AUTHOR. TABLE OP CONTENTS. Section Page Section Pat't Design of Work 1 1 Position and Privileges of the London Masons 18 19 Parallelism between Grand Lodges of England and Bro. William Preston 18 20 Scotland ... 1 1 Secession of the Lodge of Antiquity 19 21 Revival < f Masonry, a.d. 1717 2 2 Four Grand Lodges of England a.d. 1779 20 22 Lilt of Lodges (Constitutions), 1723 3 2 Precedency of the Grand Stewards' Lodge 21 22 l ist of Lodges (Bowen), 1723 4 3 Legality and Masonic character of the Grand Lodge List of Lodges (Pine), 1725 4 3 disputed 22 23 Lists of " Old " Lodges, 1729-30 5 4 The " Complete Freemason/' or "Malta Paucis "... 22 23 List of " Old " Lodges, 1738 6 4 General Assemblies ... ... 22 23 Lists of " Old " Lodges, 1736-1878 7 5 Manifesto of the Lodge of Antiquity 23 26 Difficulties of Lodge Identification 8 5 Old Regulations versus New Regulations ... 24 29 Original No. 1 now Lodge of Antiquity, No. 2 9 6 Composition of Grand Lodge... ... 24 30 Original No. 2 10 6 Committee of Charity 21 31 Original No. 3 now Fortitude and 0. C. Lodge, No 12 11 7 Privileges of the Grand Steward! 24 31 Original No. 4 now Royal Somerset and Inverness, Ancient Land Marks ... 25 32 No. 4 12 7 The Great Schism of 1739-1813 26 33 Publication of Books of Constitution 13 7 The Royal Arch Degree 26 35 Dr. Anderson's Statements borne ont by G. Lodge Protest of the York Masons 27 35 Records 13 7 Union of the " Moderns " and " Ancients " 28 36 Precedency—Regulations in regard to 13 9 Origin of Freemasonry 29 37 Distinguished Members of Original No. 4 ... 13 9 Simplicity of the Original Mason io Rite 29 39 Operative and Speculative elements of the Society... 13 9 Degrees in Freemasonry 29 39 Grand Masters Sayer, Payne, and Desaguliers 13 10 Original Plan of Freemasonry 29 41 " " " " Lists of "Old" Lodges, 1739.40; 1755-56; and 1768 14 10 Passing and Raising by Four Old Lodges . 30 42 The Friendship Lodge, No. 6; British, No. 8; W. Status of Lodge of Antiquity ... 31 42 and Keystone, No. 10; Royal A pha, No. 16; Lapse of Original No. 2 32 42 Tuscan, No. 14; Old Dundee, No. 18 ; and Royal Status of Fortitude and O. C. Lodge 33 42 Kent Lodge of Antiquity, No. 20 15 12 Status of the Royal Somerset House and Inverness Old Lodges aud Old Tavern Signs 16 13 Lodge 34 45 Summary of Lodge Lists referred to 16 16 Periods of Establishment of Four Old Lodges 35 45 Early usages of Masons 17 17 Analogy between Grand Lodges of England ar.d Regulations enacted by the Grand Lodge ... 17 17 Scotland ... 36 46 The Four Old Lodges—Preston's account of 18 18 Superoeasion of Four Old Lodges 36 47 APPENDIX. Page Page List or Lodges—1725-29 49 List or Lodois—1756-69 57 1730 60 1770-80 62 1736-39 61 1781-91 68 1740-55 63 1792-1813 75 Addenda, it Cosaiosnda Page 82 # THE FOUR OLD LODGES. PART I. § 1.—I. It is the design of the following remarks, pri- Grand Lodge of England, remains to be written; our marily, to elucidate the history and status of the survivors premier Lodges yet await an adequate and enduring of the Four Old Lodges who, on the Festival of St. John memorial, of their exertions as the pioneers of Masonic the Baptist a.d., 1717, met and instituted the premier progress; neither have they been compensated for this Grand Lodge of the World (*) —and, incidentally, to trace neglect of the Craft, by any especial favours from Grand back to their earliest periods and places of assembly in the Lodge, which has not judged it unreasonable that the last century, various Lodges now existing, which were equanimity of its " Masonic parents " should be periodi- called into being during the half century immediately cally disturbed, by having passed over their heads Lodges following such Masonic revival. of later date, to higher positions of rank and precedency. We all, as Masons, enter into the original inheritance of The following slight sketch of the history and privileges tradition, but there is no brother who has a larger share of the Four Old Lodges, is, in the main, based on materials in that noble inheritance, than he who has had the good accessible to the entire Craft, viz., the Constitutions, pub- fortune to be received into the Craft, under the auspices lished from time to time by order of Grand Lodge ; the of either of those old Lodges, whose vigorous offspring, the various lists of Lodges, the " Illustrations of Masonry," by United Grand Lodge of England, has now attained such a the late W. Preston, and other well known Masonic Text meridian splendour. Books. An interest, however, in the Time Immemorial Lodges, is not restricted to their own members, since every brother II. It is a curious coincidence, that the establishment of holding under the English Constitution, is directly con- the Grand Lodge of Scotland, on 30th Nov. 1736, was also cerned in the history, privileges, and status, of the Masonic due to the exertions of Four Metropolitan Lodges (Edin- parents of all English Lodges now existing. But our burgh), who convened a meeting "at St. Mary's Chapell," " " Old Lodges " have, in truth, been too much neglected and in order to concur in the election of a Grand Master." forgotten, to the lasting reproach of the English Craft; Thirty-three Lodges are recorded to have been represented not so, however, under the Masonic government of a sister on this occasion, and at the first Quarterly Communication, kingdom—the old Lodges of Scotland are encircled by a all Lodges who were not regularly constituted were enjoined halo of prestige, enjoy an honourable precedency over all to apply for a new Constitution, in order that they might Lodges of later date, and in Bros. D. M. Lyon and Laurie (*) be enrolled on the Grand Lodge Registry ; and those who have found able chroniclers, with whom it has indeed been had been properly constituted were required to exhibit their a labour of love, to dilate upon their unrivalled antiquity. patents for confirmation thereof. In consequence of this, all for Constitutions The oldest Lodge records in the world, those of the Lodge almost the Lodges applied new , and voluntary renunciation of their former of Edinburgh, St Mary's Chapel, No. 1 ; the archives of by a ready and rights, evinced the steadiness of their attachment to the the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; the store of manuscripts preserved in Mother Kilwinning, and other pro-eighteenth Grand Lodge of Scotland, and their unfeigned acknow- century Lodges, having each in turn been laid under con- ledgment of her jurisdiction and power. (*) tribution by these indefatigable brethren. It will be convenient to proceed, firstly, with a chrono- Old Lodges secondly, with With us, however, a history of Freemasonry and the logical record of the Four ; a consideration of the especial privileges (if any) stipulated 1 the Union. ( ) Hughan, Maeonio Memorials of 3 ( ) History of the Lodge of Edinburgh, D. M. Lyon. History of Freemasonry and the Grand Lodge of Scotland, Laurie. (') Laurie, pp 97, 101, § 88 (V.) 1 —— — — ——— . 2 THE FOUR OLD LODGES. VII. Hinry Branson Master. for by, and accorded to them ; and, thirdly, with some Henry Lug . Wardens. concluding observations on their status at the present John Townshend day. vm.— Master. Jonathan Sisson . Wardens. John Shipton § 2.—" And after the Rebellion was over, A.D. 1716,* the few lodges Christopher Wren, at London, finding themselves neglected by Sir IX. George Owen, M.D. Master. thought fit to cement under a Grand Master, as the Centre of Union Eman Bowen and Harmony, viz., the Lodges that met Wardens. John Heath . 1. At the Qoose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Pauls Churchyard. X.— Master. 2. At the Crown Ale-house in Parkers Lane near Drury Lane. John Lnbton Wardens. 8. At the Apple Tree Tavern in Charles Street, Covent Qarden. Riohard Smith 4. At the Rummer and Grapes Tavern in Channel Bow, Westminster. XI. Francis, Earl o? Dalkeith ( Master. Gapt. Andrew Robinson " They and some old Brothers met at the said Apple Tree, and Wardens. having put into the chair the oldest Master Mason (now the Master Col. Thomas Inwood of a Lodge), they constituted a Grand Lodge pro tempore in dueform, XII.—John Beal, M.D. and F.R.S Master. and forthwith revived the Quarterly Communication of the Officers of Edward Pawlet, Esq. Lodges (caird the Grand Lodge), resolved to hold the annual Wardens.